The awakening of Zakat movement by The National Board of Zakat (BAZNAS) is increasingly spread to province in Indonesia. This condition is depicted in rice harvest season and socialization of Gerakan Masyarakat Siak Berzakat/Siak Society Movement to Pay Zakat (Gemar) in Bungaraya Sub-district, Siak District, Riau Province, Monday (29/01).

“The Gemar Program in Siak is an encouragement for the enforcement of the zakat commands. This should be an example for other regions. This begins with automatic zakat deductions from the salaries of all state civil servants (ASNs) or civil servants (PNS) who are Muslims since the year 2014 through the local regulation issued by the head of Siak District and the local parliament (DPRD) of Siak District," said the head of Retail Collection Division of BAZNAS, Fitriansyah Agus Setiawan.

Attending the event, Siak District Head Mr. Syamsuar, a thousand farmers who are members of the Joint Farmers Group (Gapoktan) which manages about 4,000 hectares of rice fields, hundreds of invitations consisting of Danrem Wira Bima, dandim of Riau Province, Head of Provincial Sub-Project Management in Agriculture (Kadis), Head of Provincial Sub-Project Management in Agriculture from district and sub-district across Riau, head of BAZNAS districts/cities in Riau, religious leaders and community leaders.

He explained, after successfully raising zakat for civil servant, Mr.Syamsuar and BAZNAS Siak District widen the movement of zakat in the agricultural sector. "As an agricultural country and with the largest Muslim population, zakat agriculture in Indonesia is still not popular and tends to be ignored. The problem is, the majority of farmers are still a mustahik because they are only able to become a farm laborer. They work not on their own land, but rent the land," he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of Siak District, Mr.Syamsuar invites the community, especially the farmers' groups, to pay Zakat of their agricultural products to BAZNAS of Siak District. "Zakat is an obligation for every Muslim who has reached the nisab," he said.

Mr. Syamsuar said, the average income of farmers is sufficient to the conditions of paying zakat according to sharia law. "As a leader in Siak District, it is my responsibility to invite and remind people to pay zakat. Because zakat is the pillars of Islam that we must implement, "he said.

Mr. Syamsuar has been elected as Ambassador of Zakat by BAZNAS Siak District, on Friday (16/1/2017). The award is given because not many regional heads are concerned with zakat. However, Mr. Syamsuar has shown his commitment in the last seven years since his leadership in Negeri Istana.

In addition to being a zakat ambassador, Syamsuar also had the opportunity to be an amil to receive zakat from customary figures, officials, businessmen and the people who gathered to pay zakat at the Grand Mosque of Sultan Syarif Hasyim at the Islamic Center Madinatul Ulum Area, Siak Sri Indrapura.